GTA 5 has to follow Grand Theft Auto 4 (GTA 4) which might have been one of the most well received installments in the series, easily beating previous titles in sales, but lacked much of the quirkiness that defined the series. Arguably one of the most enjoyed characteristics of GTA is the numerous and often wacky cheat codes. Ranging from the more subdued infinite ammo to the exaggerated flying cars, cheat codes in GTA let players ignore plot and just go crazy. GTA 4 instead took a more serious turn and largely left out many of the cheats that made playing the games fun. True, there were still cheats for weapons and cars, but several of the more enjoyable codes were unfortunately missing. As the release of GTA 5 nears, it’s only appropriate that we look back at the top cheats from earlier GTA titles. With any luck, maybe we’ll see some of these cheats again when GTA 5finally comes to stores in spring 2013.

1. Flying Cars

[adsense250itp]What’s more fun than flying from city to city in a magical ice cream truck? Flying in an indestructible, cannon-firing tank. The flying car cheat was one of the more cartoony cheats in the previous installments and added its own level of ridiculousness to the already over-the-top gameplay. But why stop there? While they’re at it, GTA 5 should go all out and let players defy gravity in any number of vehicles. Forget cars, the game needs flying boats, motorcycles, and bikes.

2. Pedestrians Attack

The pedestrians attack option has to be one of the most absurd yet crazy fun cheats in the entire GTA series. For anyone who’s unaware, the code instantly turned all citizens into lunatics out for blood. What resulted was an all out brawl where players had to fight off an endless horde of crazy grannies, cops, and prostitutes. Sadly the cheat never made it into GTA 4, which is all the more reason it needs to find itself in the newest sequel.

3. Jetpack

Good luck getting me up here.

If Grand Theft Auto 5 is supposed to dwarf previous games in the series then getting around might get a little tricky. That’s where a jetpack comes in handy. Easily one of the most convenient forms of transportation in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the jetpack let players quickly fly off from pretty much any location. Originally, the jetpack was rewarded after infiltrating Area 69 during the Black Project Mission. What the jetpack lacked in speed, it made up in versatility. It used thrusts so players could move around while in the air or hover at a set altitude. Its real advantage, though, was that it let players fire one-handed weapons while zipping around. Need to infiltrate a compound full of goons? Not much of a problem when you can fly by unloading clips from your duel-wielding Uzis.

4. Slow Down Time

Maybe not as intense as pedestrians attack or exciting as flying cars, the slo-mo cheat featured in GTA 3 was nonetheless an entertaining alternative that needs a comeback in GTA 5. Why just settle for regular speed when instead you could recreate scenes from 300 or The Matrix? Paired with a speed up time option, the cheats would be perfect for when players want to see their destruction in glorious slow motion or need a quick way to run through a sprawled city or deserted area.

5. Change Costumes

Rounding off the list for cheats that need to be featured in GTA 5 is the code letting players change costumes and play as any character within the game. Yeah it’s pretty straightforward and shallow, but there’s just something about playing as a shotgun-carrying granny that makes playing that much more fun.

Stephen Vinson

Stephen is a contributor to Gaming Illustrated and part of the editorial team. He regularly
reads game reviews, keeps up with gaming trends, and follow news stories about the latest game or console rumor.